South Africa Roads Agency Evacuates Offices for Suspect Package

South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd. said it evacuated its main operations center in Gauteng province after the discovery of an envelope containing an unidentified white substance.

The shutdown will disrupt the operation of its electronic road-toll system on the highways around Johannesburg and Pretoria, the company known as Sanral said in an e-mailed statement today. The e-toll system was rolled out last month in the face of opposition from road users and trade unions.

“We take this matter very seriously and condemn this type of action in the strongest possible terms,” Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona said in the statement. “It is tantamount to sabotage and borders on a very serious crime.”

Sanral said it called the Tshwane Hazardous Material Unit about the package, resulting in the shutdown of electricity and evacuation of the building.